Various tools have been developed for removing the base of a broken incandescent light bulb from a socket member. Prior art broken bulb removal tools have been characterized by substantially rigid bulb base engaging head parts which are adapted to forcibly grip the remaining glass portion of the bulb retained in the base and/or the metal base member after removal of the glass portion. Tools have also been developed wherein a resilient sleeve member is retained on the tool sleeved over a rigid head part wherein the rigid head part also forcibly engages the bulb base with the resilient sleeve member interposed the rigid head part and the broken bulb base. These prior art tools wherein a rigid member forcibly engages the bulb base and extends within the bulb base tend to break up the remaining portion of the glass bulb disposed in the base or intentionally break out the remaining glass portion which is inconvenient and somewhat dangerous since the glass shards must be dealt with. Such prior art tools also often otherwise deform the bulb base structure so that it cannot be suitably removed from the socket.
Accordingly, there has been a continuing need to provide improvements in broken light bulb base removal tools. The present invention addresses problems associated with prior art bulb base removal tools and provides certain sought after improvements in such tools.